Pelicans Have Clear Path to Playoffs in the Coming Season

In the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 NBA seasons, the New Orleans Hornets secured consecutive playoff berths. The 2015-2016 Pelicans, fresh off their first playoff appearance since 2011, will look to do the same.

The Western Conference in the 2014-2015 season was historically competitive. Seven of its eight playoff teams had at least 50 wins, the only exception being the Pelicans, who still finished eight games over .500 (45-37).

The Thunder (who limped through the entire season, and still almost made the playoffs), the Suns (who were right in the middle of the playoff race until a few questionable transactions at the deadline), and the Jazz (who had an incredible second half of the season) all missed the playoffs in the West, but they would have been sure things in the much weaker Eastern Conference.

The Pelicans fought tooth and nail all season long, through their all-too-familiar myriad of injuries and a division filled with four other playoff teams, and still managed to sneak in on the very last day of the season.

Apr 25, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; General view of t-shirts placed on the seats before game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Golden State Warrior at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

It is only August and the season is still weeks away, but as of right now making the playoffs next season looks like a breeze compared to last year.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, next season’s postseason participants from the West will look largely the same as last year. The Warriors, Clippers, Rockets and Grizzlies are bringing back most of their roster.

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A healthy Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook will do all they can to make sure the Thunder do not miss two straight postseasons. All the Spurs did was re-sign all of their key pieces while also acquiring perennial All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge.

Two other playoff teams from the West that will likely drop off are the Trail Blazers and the Mavericks.

The departure of Aldridge from Portland and the almost-but-not-quite signing of DeAndre Jordan for Dallas have put both teams in the position to make runs for the seven and eight seeds at best.

If any other team from the West is going to potentially make some noise, it will likely be the Utah Jazz.

Once they traded defensive matador Enes Kanter to the Thunder and started Rudy Gobert at center, their defense became elite. They finished the season 21-11 thanks to their sudden ability to shut teams down and Gordon Hayward‘s ability to get just enough done on offense.

Apr 22, 2015; Memphis, TN, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies in game two of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at FedExForum. Memphis Grizzlies beat Portland Trail Blazers 97 – 82 Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports

Unfortunately for the possibly optimistic Jazz fans, they lost rising sophomore point guard Dante Exum for the season following a knee injury in an international exhibition game.

Utah will likely be in the running for the eight seed, but do not expect them to make another extraordinary leap so soon.

Now to New Orleans.

The Pelicans were swept in round one last year, but they should be a LOCK for the playoffs come next season.

Though most of the roster will look the same, the addition of NBA Champion Alvin Gentry will be a needed improvement over Monty Williams.

His high pace on the offensive end should bode well for the likes of Anthony Davis, Tyreke Evans, and pretty much everyone except Omer Asik.

The Pels were pretty efficient last season on that end, so a little extra pep in their step leading to a few more possessions a game could spell doom for the rest of the league.

Apr 15, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) against the San Antonio Spurs during a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Spurs 108-103 and earned the 8th seed in the Western Conference Playoffs. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Running it back with the same team should also lead to an improvement on the defensive end. Once Quincy Pondexter and Norris Cole arrived in New Orleans, the defensive numbers began to improve.

A full offseason with these guys plus a healthy Jrue Holiday should be enough to, at the very least, become a league average defense.

If they can achieve that alongside their potentially prestigious offense, they will not only make the playoffs but compete for a seed in the middle of the conference.